Tombstone epitaph., 1887-12-03
DISTRIBUTION OF TROOPS AND ABAN-
 DONMENT OF USELESS POSTS.
(From the Arizona Silver Belt.)


 (F'rom the Arizona Silver Belt) Some years ago all of the then hostile Apaches, together with the peaceable Yumas and Mohaves, were placed upon the San Carlos Indian Reservation, and these Indians now number in all about five thousand persons. Constant con- trol of their actions by the military au- thorlties has been proven, under the now existing circumstances, to be practically impossible, and the question, what is best to be done with the Apaches, is one of great moment to the prosperity of the neighborhood of that re. ervation.
 Gen. Nelson A. Miles, commanding the Department of Arizona, presents solution of this vexatious problem that is worthy of careful consideration. The conclusions reached in his policy are two fold; the first is, to seggregate the Indians into small communities, placing them far distant from each other, and upon and near some of the numerous military posts in the Territory that are now not needed for military purposes; the second is, to abandon all of the useless posts and concentrate the soldiery at and near San Carlos. He strongly advocates the former plan, as the one most feasible and economical, but the Lieutenant Gen eral of the Army and the Secretary of War seem disposed to differ with Gen. Miles, and in all probability, if anything is done at all, the second plan will be followed.
 The experience of the last few years plainly shows that greater security from Indian depridatons should be afforded by our Government. Since the various tribes were located on San Carlos it has seemed impossible to prevent Mr. In dian from paying murderous visit to any part of Southeastern Arizona when ever fancy prompted. The scenes of his barbarity and cruelty were enacted within the boundaries of the counties of Graham, Gila, Cochise and Pima. while Northern and Western Arizona escaped the scourge of his bloody raids. From the character of the countryand the loca. ton of settled communities this will always be so until troops are so placed at to virtually surround the reservation. This concentration will necessitate an abandonment of useless posts, such as Verde and Whipple, and the establish ment of at least one post on the west ern border line of San Carlos reserva. tion.
 There are no Indians from whom danger could be apprehended near Pres colt, and Fort Whipple, one mile north of the town, and Camp Verde, forty.two miles east, for many years have been O no service in the military operations against the savages. The Hualapa tribe, numbering some two hundred ane fifty men, women and children, art scattered along the line of the Atlantic 6 Pacific railroad from the Needles tt Prescott Junction, and eke out miser able existence by petty thieving ant begging. An efficient sheriff in Mohav' county is all the force that is required to control their actions. The Suppais who live in Cataract creek canyon, som' eighty miles north of Ash Fork, situate on the A and P. R. R., have alwrv been on friendly terms with the white and are quiet and peaceable tribe 0 Indians of strictly agricultural habits The Moquis, who live in their me, villages in the northern section of ApsCh county, resemble the Suppas, and hay never given the whites cause for alarm Their fear of their neighbors, the power ful Navajos, who covet the Moquis' pos sessions, also acts as check upon an possible warlike tendencies they migh r assume. The Navajos are under tn supervision of the military authorities C e Fort Wingate, N. M, and though a wal g like people, foresee probable loss ( e their large and valuable herds of sheeI cattle and horses in the event of wa e with the whites, and so are content to e, ercise wise discretion upon their hostil a propensities.
 l In view of these facts it is useless t further attempt an explanation of tn f wisdom shown in the second conclusio a of Gen. Miles, and of the importance fc e the material progress of prosperity I e Southeast Arizona, that ample securit !. should be gwen to the people of th; h section by the abandonment of usele: e military posts in distant parts of th q Territory, and concentration of th if soldiers near San Carlos.
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 NEW DEPARTMENT.
 Headuuarters Grand Army of the Rf